Monday, November 1, 2010

It' A Hooty Dilemma


Here it is, my It's A Hoot quilt I finished awhile back but haven't been able to show you until now. This quilt, along with a full tutorial for constructing it out of a layer cake, was scheduled for the Moda Bake Shop this weekend, but had to be yanked after only twelve hours. Needless to say I'm disappointed after pouring so much time, thought and energy into the tutorial and making of this quilt. But unbeknownst to me, the name I used for the tutorial is under copyright. Because of all of the countless variations on this design and the many different versions of tutorials already all over the web, I wrongly assumed this pattern belonged to the public domain. All I set out to do was to try and show you how to cut up a layer cake to make this design.

So yeah, I'm bummed.

With all due respect to the owner of the copyright for the name of this design, I wonder where the line is drawn if the quilt is by a different name. Like everyone else out there I detest copy catting and plagiarism and completely understand the right of the designer to protect their own creations. But when a design is so simple it can be made in a million different but similar ways, who owns the design? I know this issue strikes a cord with a lot of you, especially those of you who feel your owns designs have been ripped off. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Anyways, the quilt is done and I think it turned out beautifully. I knew the moment I saw the previews for Momo's new line "It's A Hoot" that I couldn't wait to get my hands on these fabrics. The color palette is full of yummy jelly bean colors that really speak to me, and there are some great stash must-haves in the line like the egg dots and the branches print. I love the large scale prints, too - I think I already showed you the peek of the back as I binded ~


And here is a shot of it against a clear blue sky not often seen around here these days! These photos were taken in the beautiful gardens of acclaimed Herbfarm Restaurant near our tasting room in Woodinville, Washington. 


Anyone have any new name ideas for this quilt???

And of course I couldn't resist showing you my little Mouseketeer on her first Trick or Treat outing! She would only wear the ears for a few minutes so this is the best shot we got of her in the full get-up. 


Happy First of November - today is official "start your holiday projects for real" day!

63 comments:

  1. isn't everything in quilty land re-done? It seems impossible to find something original any more... who'd have thought?

    I saw the quilt updated in my blog roll, but then it was gone when I went to look at it. :(

    I'm sorry.

    Great job doing this with a layer cake! The quilt is beautiful (as is the little sweetie!) :)

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  2. What a shame! This is a fabulous quilt. I hope you soon find a name for it, sorry I can't help in that department, I'm rubbish at naming things. I'll look forward to seeing the pattern when you rename it.

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  3. Honestly, I would change the name to something fun like "Copycat Commotion"

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  4. Sorry to hear that, it was a great tutorial! It's a very fine line I think. I too would have assumed that this was a common enough pattern!

    Hmm, a new name.. When I see this pattern I think of a scrambled log cabin. Log Cabin Scramble? I don't know! :)

    It's a beautiful quilt!

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  5. I second Michelle's suggestion! Embrace the problem and make fun of it!!

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  6. REALLY nice quilt - we need to see it close up too. I hope that we can see your pattern - i would love to make this.

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  7. You are right, it is a bummer. And I have to say your Moda bake shop project is one of the few projects that has left me inspired to look further than the first picture.

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  8. I love it!! I'm so sorry - I can't imagine how much time you spent on it...!!! Can you go on with a different name?

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  9. I also forgot to say I meant no offense to any of the other Moda bake shop designers. The other projects have been very imaginative but I just love color and your project is one of the recent colorful projects.

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  10. Oh bummer! I'm bummed for you, too! Love the fabric, and I've also wanted to do that sort of design, so this may just be my excuse to try it.

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  11. I really, really wanted to make this quilt when you posted the tutorial. After you rename it, will it show on the moda site?

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  12. I've been wondering about this issue for a while. I'm not convinced you can copyright a basic design like this. You can copyright a certain set of instructions to create the design, but there are probably an infinite number of variations on the design and different methods for creating that look. So I just don't know where the line is drawn - how can you possibly say, "That's yours and this is mine?" If anybody has useful links on this subject, please post them.

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  13. Oh you poor thing. I wondered where it disappeared to.

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  14. Oh, and I'm really sorry the tutorial was yanked. I saw it before it got pulled and thought it was great, very detailed, and an excellent way to make the pattern.

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  15. ohh, I'm so sorry to hear about this copyright debacle! it's a wonderful quilt in a wonderful design made from wonderful fabrics. you should be proud of yourself, regardless of what happened with the moda bake shop tute. hugs xx

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  16. Well, what a bummer! I have seen other tutorials pulled as well. I see both sides of it, but I think with all the variations and ways of doing things people are going to have to let go a bit. Is it just because of the name that they got all worked up?

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  17. I had been looking for the tutorial all morning. It popped up on my reader and then it was gone. I wondered what had happened to it. I hope you find a way to get it back on Moda Bake shop, or just post the tute here and we'll find it.
    It is a great quilt and a new way of doing something which is what quilting is all about, huh?

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  18. Soo sorry ... you did such a great job with the tutorial! And your quilt is beautiful!

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  19. Yeah it is really quite silly...sorry. It is a lovely quilt!

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  20. How about "A Hooty Dilemna" for a new name! I was under the impression that only the pattern instructions were under copyright as so many of the blocks are in public domain. Sorry for what you have had to go through, but appreciate your honesty and integrity.

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  21. Oh no! That's so frustrating! I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem either - don't we all just play off of and remix each other's design ideas? I was really excited when I saw your tutorial go up because I love that pattern! So sorry for all the drama :-(

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  22. Wow, I can't believe that! so it was the name that was the only issue? big time bummer. I have seen several different quilt patterns (from different designers) with the same name...how is it even avoidable?
    It's a gorgeous quilt and It's a Hoot is such a lovely line!

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  23. That sucks that the tutorial was pulled! I feel like everything is a variation on something that already exists, but without the new look things get stale. Anyways, love the quilt! You did a great job!!

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  24. Great quilt, Megan. Sorry it was pulled. I'm not sure something as basic as a Bento Box can be copyrighted, unless the owner really was the first person to come up with it. I know I've been inspired by quilts on flickr, etc., and I have had people look at mine and say, "I love it. Can I copy it?" for a quilt that is a little out of the ordinary. I kind of figure that once you put pictures of it on the internet, even if the pattern is copyrighted, people are going to figure it out, make it their own, and make beautiful quilts. There are some patterns that seem pretty unique to me--New Wave by Elizabeth Hartman or Girl on a Swing by Aneela Hoey. But when people are upset that you copy a string quilt, or a double hourglass block, or something similar they have created a pattern for? I have a hard time with that. I'd love to hear the opposite view, though.

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  25. Oh, that really sucks! I've seen a lot of little girl dress patterns on Etsy that are complete knock-offs of bigger designers patterns but for a fraction of the price. On one hand, I struggle to pay the big bucks for some designer patterns that often have a lot of errors and poorly written instructions, and the PDF ones by WAHM's are often much clearer and easier. But they are taking away business from the original designers. And I also have often looked at a pattern, and just re-created it without buying it to save myself the bucks, and because some of them really are quite simple. There aren't a lot of truly original designs out there anymore.

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  26. I agree with Kate. It's a bunch of squares...aren't most quilts? How can you copyright something like that? Is anything new really so new?

    I am also working on a Bento Box right now...so sue me! :-)

    Regardless, it is a very pretty quilt. And, imitiation is the most sincere form of flattery...if you have a blog and post your quilts to inspire others, how can you be upset if someone copies it? You should be pleased that someone liked it enough to want to spend their time to do the same. If you don't feel that way, don't post them, and keep them in a cupboard, hidden from the world! :-)

    I am being a bit cheeky....but seriously, it would have been nice for Moda to check into that before you did all that work on the pattern. Why not just post it here, or do a block tutorial?

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  27. It's a gorgeous quilt and I'm so sorry you got yanked!

    How about using Lunch Box (after all isn't that what a Bento Box is) in the name? Lunch Box Comotion?

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  28. So sorry to hear your project was pulled off the site. I saw it before it was taken off and it looked great. What a shame when you went made such an excellent tutorial. How very frustrating.

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  29. Today begin my craft faire inventory making month, much less holiday gifts. Maybe they can be one in the same? :) I've given myself a lot to do this month.

    I love your quilt and would love to make one like it. The dilemma is such a bummer, but I'm sure you'll get through it though and be able to share this tutorial to the world!

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  30. I love, love, love your quilt, and was so disappointed to see it disappear from the bake shop website. I was planning to make it with a Jelly Roll, but now the dimensions are gone. Good luck with the new name.... I hope to see it posted again soon!

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  31. Wow, that really stinks! You think ModaBakeShop would have just removed the title until you okay-ed a new one. I'm sure I've seen several tutorials online for Bento Box variations so I'm confused why they couldn't post yours...perhaps because it isn't a personal site like a blog?...that 'Moda' is a copyrighted site itself?

    This is one of the lines I'm really excited to see come out since you showed your preview of this quilt and hope we get to see some of your beautiful blocks close up! Hope they fix the situation and re-post your tutorial!!!

    As for a name how about 'Tetris Squared'? =)

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  32. I'm so bummed too :(. I saw the twitter update with broken link and just thought maybe it had been posted too early or something. I'm glad I got to find out the reason why it wasn't there. It's a Hoot is such a cute fabric collection, and I like bento box quilts too.

    As for the whole copyright thing, I've seen several designs on MBS that I had seen on other blogs before. Bento box is a great design, but realistically, I could figure out how to piece it on my own or by doing a google search without buying the "official" copyrighted instructions. I'm sorry all your hard work ended up not featured on MBS, but I still love your quilt :). I hope you were still compensated appropriately for your work. Take care!

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  33. They may have a trade mark on the name and copyright on their pattern, but if your pattern constructs a quilt - even an exact copy, using different procedures and not their pattern pieces you are fine. For example, I can write up my own instructions for piecing together a strip quilt and sell it even if there are 50 out there already. A lot of the new patterns are based off of old quilts. Kaffe did a book about museum quilts and then gives you the pattern he made based off the quilts. I was looking thru a book about pioneer quilts and realized I just bought the same pattern from a well know designer.
    Can you post the tutorial on your blog - call it log cabins chopped into fourths and re pieced.

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  34. Minnie is adorable!!
    And one way or another, I hope to make that beautiful quilt one day!

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  35. Great job on the quilt, Megan! Rename that puppy "Copy Rite" and ask Moda to put it up tomorrow so the rest of us can "copy" it!! It's a winner!!

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  36. I love the back too.

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  37. sorry about the problems with your quilt tutorial. that seems like a big bummer...the quilt is GORGEOUS....i love all the colors.

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  38. Rename it Hoo Knew and repost it on MBS. Have some layer cakes waiting.

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  39. Beautiful quilt - the colors are so bright and cheery. Sorry about the tutorial having to be pulled. There were many great suggestions as far as being able to repost.

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  40. Sometimes the copyright issue goes to far, put a few hundred people in a rook ask them to draw their interpretation of a design, you will find more than one person had the same idea.

    I like some of the suggestions already.
    "It's my Hoot"
    "A beautiful Hoot"
    "
    There are dozens of quilts out there with the same name... how far will things go.

    A beautiful quilt and so much work, be proud!

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  41. Well, I want you to know that even though your tutorial was only up at MBS for a few hours, it was long enough for me get interested in seeing more of your work, and to become a new follower of your blog. As for a new name, how about Disco Tech? The repeated squares remind me of the mirrors on a disco ball.

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  42. Call it the Hooting Dilema....lol
    Hugs Khris

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  43. Oh what a shame. Why not call it Herb Farm - it looks like the lovely herb boxes in the background!

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  44. Can you repost the quilt if you give it a different name? Or was the problem with the design itself?

    Copyright issues are always tricky!

    I do love the quilt :)

    SheilaC

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  45. Stuff like that makes me crazy.....there are NO "orignal" quilt designs...its all been done before. Its all about how you wrote your instructions, how you figured out the pattern and relay that info to someone else. And as for the name being the same??? Lots of patterns have the same name...that's crazy. I would post it on your own blog defintely...that's a beautiful quilt and tutorials take a lot of work!

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  46. Glad I saved the pattern when I first saw it! Sorry that it got pulled, I was wondering where it went. I am new to quilting, but I don't see how a pattern such as that is copyright, it is very similar to the log cabin quilt and there are infinite sets of instructions for that and so many differences in scale of blocks/logs. Also you make the statement right in the beginning that you are just showing a cutting method for a classic quilt, so maybe if you can find the original owner and knowledge them it would be ok. I like the suggestion to name it "lunch box" also thought of "stack of cake boxes" to refer to the layer cake.

    Love that the photos are at Herbfarm. I go to school in Kenmore and pine to eat there, maybe even work there.

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  47. hoot-o-mania
    hooty-patootie
    what a hoot
    owl's well (that ends well)
    owl about my pattern
    owl and about

    c'mon -- you can think of SOMETHING!

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  48. p.s. would "L." be willing to share her copy of the pattern with me privately? i'm at pjbach1@gmail.com

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  49. I'm so sorry! After looking at this quilt briefly, is it a "bento box" style quilt? It looks like you made blocks, chopped them up and reassembled them? I can't imagine this technique being under copyright!

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  50. love it~so much work put in! hugs

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  51. Are you serious? For me, this is bad news...I NEED that tutorial don't they understand??? I am soo sorry for you. I do like pbach's names especially the owl's well ( that ends well) one. If you can email it out that would be great...if you just need a new name and then you're golden I will keep checking...crushwidow at gmail.com

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  52. I just love this quilt and fell in love with the Hoot fabrics as soon as I saw them too. Been trying to find the right quilt to use them for and of course yours is perfect! So sorry it got pulled. Big bummer. I know you were disappointed after all that work.
    I hope there is some way to post it after all- I know we would all love to use your tutorial.

    What about "Out to Lunch" for the name if it is a version of a bento box quilt? I will keep thinking too.
    Best of luck! Can't wait to see it close up and I love the back!

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  53. Oh boo! I'm catching up on blogs right now and just saw this - I'm so sorry Megan! This completely stinks! As many others have said, there are very few "original" patterns out there now and the fact that someone can copyright something like this is just absurd especially since you came up with your own dimensions, etc for making it!

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  54. grrrr... i hate stuff like this. it pains me, for instance, when a quilter gets in a huff about someone "stealing" their log cabin pattern. it's as if they deny ever seeing a log cabin quilt before even though there are examples of ancient Egyptian log cabin textile constructions in museums. these patterns are for everyone to use. it's free, so you weren't stealing anything. :o(

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  55. So sorry that this happened----I was lucky, got it printed out before they pulled it and ordering fabric to make it, :)

    Thx for all u'r hard work and appreciate sharing,
    Charlotte, GRITS

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  56. The quilt...not the fact that it was yanked!

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  57. I'm a day late and a dollar short.... just came across this quilt in ur archives. I love it. Did the problem ever get solved. I'd love to see a tute on this. I love all thing bright and random!

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  58. I'm a day late and a dollar short.... just came across this quilt in ur archives. I love it. Did the problem ever get solved. I'd love to see a tute on this. I love all thing bright and random!

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  59. There is no way anyone can copyright a name of a quilt. All they can copyright are their written instructions and photos. I've had issue like this with bag patterns. When people post a tutorial and say "you have to buy a cottage license to make and sell from this pattern" it's illegal and I have told many a designer off. Another commenter is right. There are many strip quilt patterns and tuts out there and no matter how we put it together, it is "our method of assembly". A quilt will always be a quilt. I think Moda should have let you name it something else and approved it after all the work you did on this wonderful quilt ... if you make muffins from a cookbook, you can sell them. You just can't copy the cookbook and sell it as yours .... go to www.tabberone.com (I think that's it) to read about pattern and quilt designers and what can be copyrighted and what can't be ....

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  60. There is no way anyone can copyright a name of a quilt. All they can copyright are their written instructions and photos. I've had issue like this with bag patterns. When people post a tutorial and say "you have to buy a cottage license to make and sell from this pattern" it's illegal and I have told many a designer off. Another commenter is right. There are many strip quilt patterns and tuts out there and no matter how we put it together, it is "our method of assembly". A quilt will always be a quilt. I think Moda should have let you name it something else and approved it after all the work you did on this wonderful quilt ... if you make muffins from a cookbook, you can sell them. You just can't copy the cookbook and sell it as yours .... go to www.tabberone.com (I think that's it) to read about pattern and quilt designers and what can be copyrighted and what can't be ....

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  61. Hi. I loved your quilt and have cut out the strips from the small and large stacks as per your instructions but now I can't remember, and I didn't print your blog page when I had a chance, what was the purpose of the two stacks and now that I come to lay out and sew, was there a particular reason?

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